Eight steps for re-aligning your life
Introduction
Since February of this year (2023), I have found myself on a life journey that appears to have derailed some overall positive progress along the way. Some major changes have come about, most (if not all) of which transcend and extend beyond the art and performance of Magic, leading me to examine how best to correct this situation for myself personally. Therefore, this article focuses on each of us on a personal level and turns a blind eye to any specific career path. My hope is that it will serve to help any reader experiencing similar derailments, magician or no.
Ultimately, I have been able to work through this personal period, and even have felt myself thriving (not simply surviving) while utilizing these eight steps. As for me, I am a Christian man, a follower of Jesus Christ as my personal savior.
Because of that foundation, and knowing that many readers possibly (if not probably) hold beliefs different than mine, I intentionally wrote from a more practical (and less religious) point of view, while also including some scripture references in an effort to relay some level of spiritual connection for each step.
My goal is to offer suggestions to the reader that helped ME; not to proselytize. I hope you, the reader, will take it that way.
The Eight Steps
Step One: cleanse your earthly vessel (Deuteronomy 23:11)
Shower, freshen up, treat yourself with respect, brush your teeth, wear a scent. Start here, because this is it. This is the life character you are portraying, and if you fail to take care of yourself on a basic level (inwardly), you will fail moving forward (outwardly). Understand that it all starts with you. Being clean and feeling fresh as a ritual will increase your self-perception over time. You’ll be intentionally putting your best foot forward, signaling to your subconscious that you are important and worth of being cared for. So even if you awaken to a democrat-initiated Armageddon, and find the world has descended into total chaos and destruction, at least you’ll smell good!
Step Two: order your surroundings (Ecclesiastes 3:6)
Clean your room, deep clean your house and get rid of all the clutter that is scattering your mind. Put your foot down and refuse to live in a cathedral of filth. Such is an ever-present reminder of things left undone, because the space you occupy is an extension of yourself. is it disordered? If it is, then so are you. So, take your pick… you can order yourself OR order your environment. It doesn’t really matter which comes first, because, in essence, both are the same thing. No more half-completed jobs. Go step-by-step, room-to -room, and make things right. Make your bed and do the dishes. Make things beautiful. When you are clean and your kingdom is, too, then you’ll begin to feel like you are, some what, gaining control of your life, and it will encourage you to bring and focus that energy into the rest of your life. Start with you and the things that you have control over.
Step Three: Make Yourself Seen (Psalm 19:5-6)
Once you have your ducks in a row, then get out of the house. Rapunzel stayed in her tower because she was emotionally manipulated by a devouring mother. What’s your excuse? The human being operates best with his feet moving, the sun on his face, and his eyes beholding his surroundings. Get off your backside and go outside, because everyone’s wondering where you went. We were created for relationships; in community with others. Become an initiator of people coming together and things happening. The modern world is designed from the ground up to keep you inside. We technically don’t have to leave the house, ever, so a lot of us don’t and we let our lives pass us by.
Step Four: Move (Acts 17:28)
If I told you there was a pill that was guaranteed to boost your mental and physical energy throughout the day, increase your overall mood and outlook on life, improve your mental clarity, prolong your lifespan, and increase your physical attractiveness, would you take it? Well, that pill is real, and it’s called “EXERCISE”, and the top performers in the world take it every day to get the blood pumping. So get on your feet and go break a sweat. Do it everyday, because that which costs us energy, gives us energy!
Step Five: Control Your Finances (Proberbs 21:5)
In today’s world, corporations thrive on the fact that people don’t monitor their spending. They encourage unconscious spending, paperless statements (under the guise of “going green”), and auto-renewing subscriptions that slowly lead to the bleeding of your hard earned cash. It’s this “out of sight; out of mind” attitude that is keeping you stuck, so check your balance daily. Does it stink? GOOD! Let that sting motivate you to investigate what’s happening. What exactly are you paying for that you don’t care about? Exposing yourself to the reality of hard numbers unlocks your ability to do something about it.
Step Six: Free Yourself (Galatians 5:13)
What are you bound to? What are you dependent on in order to operate a baseline? What external substances or behaviors are you using to medicate internal problems? Turn off notifications - in fact, get rid of all social media completely (except maybe Substack). Stop getting pulled back into the cycle. Unsubscribe to email chains. Unfollow Instagram accounts. Remove any and all things that constantly pull you back into mindless consumerism and commiseration.
Step Seven: Strategize (Proverbs 21:5)
Every military operation, political campaign, or major corporation relies on a strategy aimed at increasing the chances of success. If you were tasked to run one of these entities, and you showed up without a strategy, you’d be immediately escorted out the door. But what about your life? Are you just floating through without a strategy, hoping you’ll end up in a desirable place five years down the line?
I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but things don’t usually get better on their own. Even a man of faith would be a fool, not to be proactive with the tools that God has given him. For is sloth not a sin? So put the figures on the board. What do you want in life, and in what ways do you tend to fail achieving it? Develop an honest strategy based on the information you have available, and use this info to figure out the most effective way forward. You’ll surprised as to how monstrously effective even a basic strategy can be.
Step Eight: Submit (Jeremiah 17:10)
Submit to the things you must do because the thinking has already been done - by you ! Shut your mind off, stop the mental gymnastics, and relinquish yourself of the burden of overthinking.
Learn what it feels like to put your rationalizations on mute. Take a deep breath, and then go and do what you need to do. Trust the more authentic voice in your head, and let it override your weaker self. Over time, this authentic self will become your primary voice, and the more you listen to your authentic self, the more you will develop a stronger sense of identity. Having a strong, reliable identity is the basis of confidence and self-efficacy, and there’s no better feeling than that. So, if you’re beaten and battered, tired from the strife, then follow these eight steps, and get your life back on track.
Conclusion
This is what I have done, and it’s been very helpful. Things are looking up. But remember, none of us walks alone - and each of us occasionally needs help and support from those around him. These steps are good, but be honest about any situation in which you find yourself, and if you need help - ASK ! Friends, family, go-workers, clergy, counselors - they all stand ready to come along side you, intertwine arms, and walk together beside you. And if you know someone who could benefit from these words, please share this article with them.
Remember, it isn’t weak to ask for help. We ALL need it sometimes to make it through today and past tomorrow.
…… please don’t hesitate to ask or offer.
Cheers !!